Behavior Quote by John Maynard Smith
“Paradoxically, it has turned out that game theory is more readily applied to biology than to the field of economic behavior for which it was originally designed”
About This Quote
Source Paper: “Game Theory in Biology”, 1978
Game theory, originally for economics, finds more natural application in biological contexts, revealing cross‑disciplinary strengths and limits.
In simple terms: Game theory works better in biology than economics.
Key Takeaway
Apply game theory to biological problems.
Themes
theory
biology
economics
interdisciplinary
modeling
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
academic
insightful
When to use this quote
- research
- teaching
- policy analysis
- ecological management
Key Concepts
evolutionary strategies
population dynamics
strategic interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- Why does biology suit game theory?
- What economic factors resist game‑theoretic modeling?
A Different Perspective
Economic behavior may involve variables too complex for simple game models.
![“This argument [that life is too improbable to have arisen by chance] comes up repeatedly: its latest manifestation is Hoyle's discussion of the likelihood of a wind blowing through a junkyard assembling a Boeing 707 [sic]. What is wrong with it? Essentially, it is that no biologist imagines that…” quote by John Maynard Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b2/john-maynard-smith-28856_argument_this-argument-that-life-is-too-improbabl_1662785.jpg)
